Where Dreams Come True
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: In the sequel to Pirate Turner's "A Shattered Heart", John Smith and Pocahontas risk everything for their love.
1. Chapter 1

Title: "Where Dreams Come True"  
Author: Pirates Sparrow and Turner  
Rating: R  
Spoilers: Both Pocahontas movies  
Warnings: Het, "Real World" Disney  
Word Count (excluding heading): 9,905  
Summary: In the sequel to Pirate Turner's "A Shattered Heart", John Smith and Pocahontas risk everything for their love.  
Disclaimer: Pocahontas, John Smith, John Rolfe, Meeko, Percy, Flit, and Grandmother Willow are all & TM Disney and are used without permission. Roy Disney is & TM himself, if any one. Everything else is & TM the authors. The authors make absolutely no profit off of this story, and it is for entertainment purposes only.

**Chapter One**

John stood absolutely still as he drank in her beauty. His heart choked up so that he could scarcely breathe. {How beautiful you are, my angel!!!} crashed through his brain. He wanted to go to her, but he knew she was heavily guarded and that, if they tried to get closer, one of her babies would be killed as a consequence. He saw the gun pointed at Meeko. He saw her bruises and felt her heartache that mirrored his own.

Then, wonder of wonders, she ran as swiftly as a deer, leaving the guard behind cursing. John, too, ran. He knew where she would go; at least, he prayed she would. He ran as swiftly as he could, the way she had taught him, taking a different route with the same destination in mind. The guard saw him and gave chase but couldn't catch him.

It seemed to take forever, but at last John made it to Grandmother Willow. He was winded and barely managed to croak out her name. She had to be there. Time was of the essence. He had planned their escape but never thought he would get the chance. She just had to be there. Again, he called out his beloved's name, "Pocahontas?!?"

Pocahontas' sobs had instantly silenced when she had heard approaching footsteps. Though the tears continued to flood her cheeks, she stilled herself, quickly sending sharp warning glances at Meeko, Percy, and Flit. The three animals only looked at their best friend in deep concern as they, too, stood as still as statues wrapped inside Grandmother Willow's safe branches. It was then that she heard his voice, and her eyes flew wide. Could it be? No, of course it wasn't John; she should have learned better by now than to allow her hopes to rise. It was only the guard using a new trick.

When he called her name a second time, Grandmother Willow's face appeared. The ancient tree smiled kindly down upon the man. She had known he would come after her favorite granddaughter as soon as he managed to grab an opportunity. "John Smith," she spoke softly, "it has been far too long." As she spoke, her branches slowly and gently pulled away from Pocahontas.

"Grandmother Willow, what . . . " Pocahontas began to ask, but her voice froze when her brown eyes were met with the handsome vision of her beloved. Surely she must be dreaming. She stared at him in shock for a long moment before finally managing to whisper, "J-John? Am I dreaming?"

Extreme relief flooded through John's heart as he heard the welcomed voice of Grandmother Willow. "Yes, it has been too long, Grandmother Willow, and things have not been what I would have liked for them to be." He moved under her protective branches as he stepped in front of Pocahontas and pulled her gently into his arms.

"It is truly me, my darling, and you are not dreaming," he said just as his lips came down upon hers and he drank deeply of their wine. He pulled her closer and closer to him until he could feel her heartbeat. He knew that Disney's goon was close behind him, but he had to take these few precious moments or else he felt he would die. He had waited far too long. This had been the only chance he had been given, and he had been prepared forever. Now, he just needed a taste of her to reaffirm their love and give him that extra strength he knew he would need to escape the trap.

She had still feared that she was dreaming until his lips had met hers, and the feelings of pleasure, relief, and bitter joy that poured through her very core were far more than any dream could ever grant its dreamer. She melted willingly into him as she eagerly returned his kiss. Her soft lips parted under his as her tongue gently quarreled with his. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and she clung tightly to him, never wanting to release him yet fearing the entire time that she would be ripped from his arms at any second.

Her silent tears of sadness transformed to a mixture of happiness that they were at last together and deep sorrow for the knowledge that they only had a few minutes before they would be found and things would become even worse. Her tears dropped into their kiss, but for now, she merely clung to her beloved, her kiss and the thundering of her heart telling him how much she loved and missed him far more than words alone of any language save the heart's could ever hope to say.

John reluctantly broke the kiss off. "Sorry, sweetheart, but we must be on our way. I managed to give the idiot a slip, but once he contacts Roy, he'll know where to come. We must be away from here by then. I have a canoe waiting."

As much as she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life, Pocahontas knew that there was no way for them to make it outside Disney's gates. "But where can we possibly go that they can not follow, John?!" she exclaimed softly and desperately.

"I have that worked out and will tell you more once we have reached the canoe." Still clinging to her, he looked up at Grandmother Willow's face. "I swear to you that I will take care of her and that I will do my best to make her happy. May we have your blessings?"

The ancient tree smiled lovingly down at the couple as her vines gently crept around them as well as Pocahontas' three animals despite Meeko's and Percy's complaints. She pulled the five close to her bark, nearly crushing them in a tight hug. "Of course you have my blessings, my children, and know that no matter where you go, I will be with you."

Pocahontas leaned into Grandmother Willow's embrace, doing her best to return the hug even as her animals struggled to pull away. Grandmother Willow had always been such a huge part of her life that she hated to have to leave her behind, but she knew she had no choice and would have done anything to be with John. Even now, her curiosity continued to bore a hole in her brain, but she trusted her beloved entirely and knew she had no choice but to wait for his explanation of his plan.

Reluctantly, Grandmother Willow released her children. She smiled kindly down upon them, perfectly masking her sorrow that she would never see them again in this time, as she brought two branches before them. On the branch before John, twigs clutched a few leaves but opened willingly to release them to rain down upon him. "Take these leaves, and when the enemy begins to close in on you, drop one." The other branch held a small twig out to Pocahontas. "Take this twig, and, after you have used all the leaves, show it to any nearby tree to obtain their aid whenever you need it."

"Thank you, Grandmother Willow," Pocahontas spoke sincerely, her voice filled with emotion, as she took the twig, "not only for these but for everything. You shall always be in our hearts." She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her grandmother's withered bark.

"Thank you, Grandmother Willow, for being there for us and always being there for Pocahontas. Come, darling; we must run now," he said, reaching out to take her hand. "Percy, you must let me carry you. Your little legs are too short to be able to make good time, and we must run." He reached down and scooped up Percy. "It's this way. Good-bye, Grandmother! May you live in peace forever!"

Even as Pocahontas' fingers entwined with John's, Grandmother Willow smiled lovingly down upon her favorite children one last time. "Farewell, my children, and Gods bless." Her leaves rustled slightly, as if sensing something. "Run with the swiftness of the wind! I shall give you as much time as I can!" Her face vanished, and she appeared to once more be nothing but a tree.

Before Pocahontas could turn, Meeko suddenly scurried up her body to wrap himself around her head. Her brown eyes glanced upwards as she turned, and his face peeked down into hers as he chattered at her. "Yes, Meeko, I know," she replied with a grin. "Percy may not be thankful of his ride, but as long as he is being carried, you are determined that you shall be, as well." Her hand more tightly grasped John's as she looked to her beloved, waiting for him to lead them as only he knew where their canoe was.

John took the leaves and slipped them into his pocket. He could feel them coming, and he knew it would be only minutes before they were there. He was thankful that the canoe was not far. He ran, still holding tightly to Pocahontas' hand. He was determined that they would never be separated again.

Pocahontas' long legs stretched out before her as she ran, keeping perfect pace with John. It felt so good for her bare feet to hit the soil again and the breezes to blow through her long, raven hair, but she paid no attention to either. She simply concentrated on running as fast as she could run yet while never leaving John's side. As they ran, Meeko bounced repeatedly up and down on Pocahontas' head, his claws digging into her hair for dear life, and Percy fought to keep from becoming sick. Flit buzzed just over their heads, careful to never let his attention wander from his mistress.

It took them a short time to reach the canoe. John had covered it with a tarpaulin. Releasing Pocahontas' hand and dropping Percy gently to the ground, he removed the tarpaulin and rolled the canoe over several times to reach the water. It made a loud splashing noise as it hit the water. "This is a magic canoe. All must be in it," he said, looking at Flit. "Even you, Flit, must find a place inside the canoe."

"I went to see a Gypsy woman, and she created a time travel spell. If everything works like it should, we should be able to travel back in time to a place and time that they can not reach us and tear us apart again. If it doesn't work, we can be no worse off than we already are. We must travel three miles backwards. Then, we must recite a spell when we reach a spot she told me about. The spell must be spoken three times, and then it's supposed to send us back in time. Be careful that you do not leave the canoe at any time -- not even to fish," he said, now looking at Meeko. "If you get out, you may not be able to get back in, and you will be left behind." He stepped into the canoe, then reached upward for Pocahontas.

Gently, Pocahontas forced Meeko's claws out of her hair as she listened to John. She had always hoped that he would find a way for them to be able to be together, but she had never thought that he might actually discover a way for them to be able to go back in time and was amazed at his plan. Finally managing to remove Meeko from her head, she lowered him down to John just as yells broke out from the top of the bank.

John grabbed Meeko and sat him down in the canoe, then reached upward for Percy. "Come, darling, quickly! They will soon be upon us!"

Pocahontas quickly picked Percy up and deposited the surprised dog into her beloved's hands. Even as the men rushed down the bank at them, shouting at them to stop, she looked up at Flit. The hummingbird was still staring at the river when she spoke to him, "Get in the canoe, Flit." When he still did not move and a bullet suddenly ripped through the air above their heads, she snapped at the bird for the first time, "Now!" That was all she had to say for Flit to zip into the canoe and land in its bottom just as Pocahontas accepted John's offered hand. Even as she stepped into the canoe, a rain of bullets aimed in their direction began.

John took one of the leaves and threw it toward the shore. The minute the leaf touched the ground, huge vines appeared out of nowhere, racing straight toward their attackers. Their hides were so thick that not even the bullets could tear their tendrils. John used this time to push off from the shore and, after sitting down, began to paddle backwards. He quickly left the shouting, shooting, and angry men behind.

* * *

Meanwhile, the vines closed around the men, lifting them skyward by their ankles and holding them suspended in the air. Disney began to curse when he saw what had happened to them. Gone was the friendly man that the world knew, and in his place stood a furious tyrant! He grabbed his cellular phone and spit into it, ordering a chopper. "If we can't take them by land, we'll take them by the air! We must stop them; he can not have her for so it is written!"

**To Be Continued . . . **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

John prayed like he had never prayed before, and he rowed even harder, going backwards. It was as though the river was made of molasses as it seemed to fight against his backward movement. He had only reached about 3/4 of a mile when he heard the choppers coming. "Stay low, beloved, for they will soon be upon us!"

He heard something burrowing beneath his seat and figured that it was probably Meeko getting into the biscuits. Even in the midst of such peril that they were now in, Meeko's mischievousness made him smile. Seconds later, the choppers were over them, yelling down for them to surrender.

Even though Pocahontas wished fervently for some way to be able to help John row, she knew such was impossible. There was only one oar, and she did not dare risk allowing any of them to stick any of their body parts out of the canoe. The water was growing increasingly restless even as the flying machines began to bear down upon them, and Pocahontas barely had time to realize that a storm was brewing on the horizon in the same direction they were headed before the men's yellings grew angrier and louder.

Turning on her seat, Pocahontas picked Percy up and, with the gentle hands of a loving mother, slid him underneath her seat. He looked up at her, questions in his dark eyes, before beginning to edge his way out from under. She stopped him by placing one finger on his nose, and her voice was firm as she instructed him, "Stay there. You should be as safe as possible there."

"Meeko?" she then called, straightening a little upon satisfaction that Percy would obey her instructions. A sound of swift chattering and burrowing met her ears even as bullets began to rip through the water surrounding the canoe. Percy yelped and cowered beneath her seat, but Meeko did not pay any attention at all to the bullets that began to rain all around them as he began stuffing his mouth with biscuits.

Although her heart was pulsing rapidly in her ears, Pocahontas was careful to keep her fear from showing. Instead, she leaned forward, reached under John's seat, and gently tapped Meeko's nose. He looked guiltily up at her, both of his cheeks stuffed and sticking out to their absolute fullest with biscuits. She shook her head and stilled the trembling that threatened to begin in her hands as she picked him up and placed him underneath her seat with Percy. "Stay there," she told him, "and don't you dare go back to those biscuits. They're for all of us, young man, not just for you."

She then looked down at the hummingbird that sat loyally by her ankles. "Flit," she only had to speak his name once before he zipped underneath the seat to join their brethren. She hated having to command her friends instead of simply asking them to do certain things, but the situation left her with no choice. She simply had to keep them and John as safe as possible, regardless of the means by which she had to do so.

A bullet suddenly chipped the side of the canoe, and Pocahontas' head snapped up, her brown eyes wild. Her eyes met with John's, their message unspoken but clear. Disney's men were aiming closer. Perhaps Disney no longer cared if either of them returned alive or dead? "Where are those leaves?" she asked him, fighting to keep her voice calm so as to not spook the little ones trembling beneath her seat any further.

Roy Disney screamed through a megaphone, "STOP SHOOTING, YOU IDIOTS, UNLESS YOU CAN GET A CLEAN SHOT AT SMITH! THE NEXT ONE TO SHOOT ANSWERS TO ME PERSONALLY!" Immediately, silence was heard all around. The choppers zoomed in closer and closer, trying to get close enough to snatch Pocahontas.

The winds picked up, and John knew the storm was getting closer. He reached into his pocket, brought one of the leaves out, and laid it gently into her hand. "We only have one other leaf left, my dear heart, but we will make it together!" he said with a smile. "Do not fear! Trust in Grandmother Willow, and we will be saved!"

She wanted to ask him how she could possibly not fear after all that she had been forced through since they had been torn apart, but she dared not. Instead, she returned his reassuring smile as her eyes again met his. "We will all be together, beloved, when this is over, no matter what." She believed fully in the truth of her words, but she didn't know rather they would be alive or dead together. Regardless, though, they would be together, and their happiness as a little family, just the five of them, was all she still wanted.

The winds whipped her long, raven hair, causing it to stretch out beyond her in waves of ebony silk and flutter in the air. Securely but gently clutching the leaf, she looked up to the sky to check on the flying machines. She had been slightly relieved when the shooting had stopped, but then horror filled her eyes at the sight of one who had dipped lower than the rest. A man stood in the machine's doorway, and the silver of the gun he aimed straight at John glinted in the sunlight. Without hesitation, she aimed her throw and threw the leaf straight at that one particular machine.

The leaf spiraled through the air. Pocahontas stilled, her breathing and heartbeat both pausing, as she waited to see if the leaf would make it to its target in time. She leaned up on the edge of her seat, poised to leap at John and knock him to the safety of the canoe's bottom if the leaf did not manage to stop the bullet before it could sail her love's way. Huge shadows suddenly filled the sky, fully blocking out the sun, and Pocahontas' gaze slowly turned upwards as she sensed that it was not mere clouds that blocked the sunlight. Her eyes widened even more in shock at what she saw. Her mouth fell open in surprise as gigantic acorns began to rain all around them, pounding away at the flying machines and forcing them to crash underneath their massive weight.

Pocahontas shook her head slowly, her amazement growing at the scene. Her reassuring smile vanished only to be replaced by a truer smile that crept slowly over her lips. Shaking her head, she murmured softly, "Only Grandmother Willow . . . "

John grinned at the acorns falling out of the sky from nothing. His heart sang with thanks and gratitude to Grandmother Willow. He could hear Roy Disney on the megaphone again, giving his men further instructions as to how to pursue them. Looking at his beloved, John said, "Acorns as a weapon against flying machines! What will she think of next? We are over half-way there now, my darling! Do not lose courage!"

"They will pursue us in bigger and better boats now, thinking they will capture us with very little trouble, but they will find they can not follow us here. Out there," he motioned with his hand, "it's deeper, but here it is shallow and will allow only flat bottoms and our canoe for, though it looks like an ordinary canoe, it was specially made with a flat bottom!" He redoubled his rowing efforts, determined that they would not be caught easily. He knew that Roy was smart and rich, and it would not take him long to figure out what kind of boat to get and even less time to get one.

Although she appeared to settle down, Pocahontas remained on guard. Her brown eyes gazed adoringly at her beloved John Smith during what little time they were not scanning their surroundings. Meeko chirped softly as he stuck his head out from underneath the seat he had been placed under and looked questioningly up at the humans. Looking down at him, Pocahontas shook her head as she told him gently, "No, Meeko. Stay under there until one of us tells you otherwise, all three of you." She reached down to softly stroke the raccoon's head for a brief moment before he ducked back into hiding.

Her eyes then raised to the sky as she examined its darkening form. It would not be much longer now, she thought as she stilled herself, preparing herself as best she could for whatever danger would next befall them. Glancing again at John, she could not help but to marvel at how he had came to her rescue and said another silent prayer for their safe deliverance from this terrible situation into a better world where they would all be together and be safe, healthy, and most of all, happy. Her eyes met his, and she smiled at him.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

John had not known about the storm that was quickly bearing down on them. He was having trouble paddling against the wind which ripped and howled all around them. He needed help and needed it fast. Slipping one hand in his pocket, he pulled out the remaining leaf but knew not what to wish for to aid them.

Though he hid it well, Pocahontas knew John Smith as well as she knew herself and knew that he was frustrated, frantic, and desperate, unsure of what to do and afraid that he would fail them all. Her heart ached for him, and her concern for him combined with her own worries over the storm and her brothers' whimperings from underneath her seat sent chills of dread racing through her. They had to succeed or they would not only be separated again but would even be killed. The last did not bother her that much, however, for the Indian Princess would rather be skinned alive than to have to endure any more misery at Rolfe's and Disney's hands or any more time away from her beloved John, but they had to make it through this so that not only would they live but they would live together and joyously.

Pocahontas wished fervently that there was something, _anything_, that she could do to help bring them closer to their destination. There was only one oar however, and since none of them could put anything outside the canoe, there was nothing she could do to help except refuse to allow her beloved to see her own fears and look reassuringly at him. The valiant woman had never felt so helpless in all her time with John Smith.

Only half a mile left, and it might as well be a million as he fought valiantly against the wind and knew he was losing bit by bit. It was then he heard the engines of a flat bottom boat coming their way rapidly. He feared it was Disney and some of his men. Great was his surprise to see Brer Fox making his way to them. Brer Fox called out, "GRANDMOTHER WILLOW SENT ME, MY FRIEND!"

Pocahontas had known that John had been only seconds away from losing the battle with the raging waters that mercilessly tossed their canoe when Brer Fox made himself known. No friend's voice had ever sounded any more welcoming to Pocahontas' ears than Brer Fox's did in that fateful moment. True relief and reassurance lit her face as she looked from the flat boat with the shadowed figure that she now knew belonged to a loyal friend back to her beloved. She was about to tell him that they were saved when she saw that same knowledge shining in her John's incredibly blue eyes. She smiled lovingly at him as she realized that, just as always, when they had needed her the most, Grandmother Willow had saved them yet again.

Brer Fox got around to the other end of the boat and threw a rope to John who tied it on the canoe. With Brer Fox's help and John's strong paddling, they made it the rest of the way in remarkable time. "GOOD LUCK, MY FRIENDS!" Brer Fox called out as John thanked him most profusely. Seconds later, lightning split the sky and rain began to fall down in bucket loads.

"THANK YOU, AND TAKE CARE, MY FRIEND!" Pocahontas called back to Brer Fox over the harsh, howling winds that ripped all around them. "FAREWELL, AND KNOW THAT WE ARE FOREVER THANKFUL!" Brer Fox had just began to fade away into the distance when John spoke, and Pocahontas looked back to her beloved.

John could not see the markings but knew he was in the right place. Holding Pocahontas' hands, he said, "Repeat after me, my love!", and began to chant the spell he had been given which he knew by heart.

Pocahontas repeated her beloved's words without question. She felt the power of the magic surge through her, join with his, and then begin to soar up and out from them. She closed her eyes, blocking out all other worries and concerns, and concentrated solely on their spell working. A strange feeling enveloped her as they chanted together, their words and voices melting into a beautiful song, and Pocahontas realized that it was as if she had always known the words and they had only been hiding within her while waiting for her to call upon them.

"Ho!  
Mother Earth, we have returned!  
We, your children, seek a peaceful resting place!  
Accept us back into your bosum and grace!  
Grant us your love and blessings!  
Long may you see our face!  
HO!"

Each time was faster, and he liked the way Pocahontas' voice blended with his in the song. They could barely be heard above the storm, but he knew they had been heard when the canoe was suddenly lifted from the waters and turned around three times before gently being dropped upon the land.

Though the canoe had spun at a nearly blinding rate and she had felt her animals' scared stirrings beneath her seat, Pocahontas continued to chant until finishing her last part after John fell silent. She did not yet open her eyes and instead sat, her hands lovingly entwined with her beloved's, listening with all her other senses to see what would happen next.

John wasn't sure where he was. He was only sure of one thing, and that was that he and Pocahontas were together and safe. The storm would have to pass before they could find out where they were. He stepped out and held his hand out to his beloved. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her tenderly.

When John had stepped out, Pocahontas had finally reopened her eyes. She turned in her seat and looked questioningly up at him. Her mouth opened to question him, but her words froze in her throat when he reached out to her and she realized that they must have been successful. They were together! It was just the five of them, and neither Disney, Rolfe, nor any one else could reach them now! Tears filled her brown eyes as she trembled with relief and joy at the realization that the dream she'd once believed to be impossible had finally been granted them.

Pocahontas' hand slipped smoothly back into John Smith's as she stood, and she again realized what a perfect fit they had always been. She stepped out of the canoe and right into his loving embrace. His lips touched hers, and hers opened underneath his. Her tongue dove into his mouth, gently exploring every bit of his delicious taste therein, as she continued to kiss his sweet lips. Her arms slipped around him, and she held him tightly even as the realization that no one would ever be able to force them apart again continued to slowly sink in to her.

Behind them, Meeko, Percy, and Flit slowly poked their heads out from underneath Pocahontas' seat. Each animal's head spun, and they looked dizzyingly around even as they stumbled out a couple of inches. Another sudden clash of thunder sent them scurrying right back under, however.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The storm was almost upon them, and John knew he had to do something to protect his little family. He broke off his kiss with Pocahontas reluctantly. "Baby, we must find shelter. Your eyes are better than mine. Help me to look. Get your babies to stay under the seat. It's the safest place right now."

A sigh had broken from Pocahontas' lips when John's delicious mouth had left hers, and it had taken her brain realizing the danger that her loved ones were in to keep her from recapturing the most wonderful taste her mouth had ever been blessed with. Still, she clung to him not only because of the storm and the ferocious winds that threatened to knock her off of her feet but far more because of her desperate need to be with him, to be reassured while never having to speak a word that she was not dreaming and that they had _really_ managed to escape Disney into a world where they could at long last be happy together, no matter what. Pocahontas' brown eyes cast a quick glimpse over her shoulder at the canoe, and she smiled at the way the seat shook from her poor, frightened darlings. "I do not think that will be a problem, my love."

"That's good," John said. A jagged streak of lightning lit up the storm-tossed sky, and for a moment, John thought he saw an opening in the side of the hill. "Is that a cave, darling?" he asked. "Perhaps its inhabitants might allow us to come in during the storm?"

Pocahontas' gaze followed her love's, and she nodded in thought. "Perhaps." She left the warmth and safety of his embrace, a forbidden embrace her every fiber had ached desperately for for so long, to begin walking towards the cave. The winds ripped at her hair and clothes, and the rain pelted her body. The lightning continued to light up the sky, one bolt striking only a few inches from her, but the Native American Princess continued walking elegantly, her slender, agile body at its full height and her head held high despite the storm.

John followed so close that if she had stopped walking, he would have bumped straight into her. It took them only seconds to reach the cave's entrance, but the wind pulled at them so strongly that it felt much longer. He had no light so the only thing he knew to do was to just walk straight in. He listened carefully but could hear nothing inside. "Do you hear or see anything?" he asked her.

The storm raged outside, but inside the cave, it was perfectly quiet and still. The only sounds were the soft breathing of the two humans, the pounding of their heartbeats, and the slight drip-drip-drop that came every now and again from somewhere deeper in the dark. Pocahontas could see the outlines of the cave's interior and that its mouth opened up into miles and miles of a darker, far more cavernous throat. She neither saw nor heard any sign of danger, but still she knew they were not alone.

The towering figure wrapped in pitch black shadows came hurtling at them without warning and with all the swift ferocity of the storm outside. It headed straight for John, a paw the width of an oak tree's trunk slashing out at him. Pocahontas moved with equal swiftness, placing herself between John and the bear. She brought her hand up before the paw's onslaught, and her eyes raised upwards in search of the bear's face.

The paw stopped, and the bear looked down at her curiously. Pocahontas smiled a smile that reached her eyes to affirm the truth of her words as she spoke gently in a tongue that sounded alien to even her own ears but that her heart understood every word of. She only hoped that John would remember the lesson she had taught him so long ago, years past when they had first met.

John had been slow to react to the bear. Once before, he had met a female bear protecting her young while with Pocahontas. He showed no anger or aggression to the bear but stood quietly, waiting for Pocahontas to work her magic with the bear. He hoped the bear would allow them to stay. He meant no harm to the bear but did not hope to be able to make her understand that on his own though he knew Pocahontas could.

Pocahontas' face remained calm, her peaceful smile and trusting eyes not flickering for even a second. She did not breathe as she stood there, having fallen silent after speaking only a few words, and continued to gaze calmly and trustingly up at the bear. The bear's dark eyes peered down into Pocahontas', and slowly -- it could have been minutes, it could have been hours, none of them would ever know -- the females' souls connected. At long last, the bear lowered to three of her four paws, and Pocahontas knelt, still without a word.

They continued gazing into each other's eyes and faces, reading more there than they would ever be able to tell any one, and then Pocahontas reached out and ever so gently lifted one of the bear's paws into her two hands. Tears touched the Indian's eyes as she looked down at the blood gushing from one paw, having already stained and matted coarse, dark brown fur. In the midst of the blood was what remained of a head of a spear. Finally, Pocahontas spoke only one word. "John?"

"I have some medical supplies in the canoe. Can you tell her that I am going to the canoe and bringing it back with the others? We will help her, if we can."

Pocahontas glanced at John, then looked back into the bear's eyes. She spoke again in that strange language, and the questions in the bear's eyes were replaced with understanding and the shining of hope. Pocahontas reached up and placed a gentle hand on the side of the bear's face. Her eyes met the bear's again, and she nodded before standing and turning back to John. "She understands, sweetheart." She stepped closer to him, closing what little distance had remained between them, and wrapped her arms around him again. "Be careful, my love." She did not want to be away from him for even a second, but she knew that if they both left, the bear would have cause to doubt them.

"I will not be long, my love." He kissed her gently. "I will bring your babies back with me." He walked slowly from the cave, but once outside, he made a mad dash for the canoe. The storm was creating holy havoc, and tree limbs were falling down everywhere.

Reaching the canoe, he peered inside its murky darkness only to find everything quiet and still. For one dreadful moment, he feared that the babies had fled after them and were lost somewhere in the night, but then he heard a soft munching sound and grinned. He called to each of the animals in turn as he reached underneath the seat.

His groping hand found Percy first, and he pulled him safely into the crook of one arm. Flit buzzed out, and the two males looked at each other. Flit jumped higher in the air as lightning struck somewhere inland. John opened his breast pocket, and the hummingbird flew swiftly in.

"Meeko," John called again, but the only answer that came to him was more chewing. He figured that the raccoon was eating the last of their biscuits but pushed that concern aside, vowing to find something edible in the light of day. He leaned forward and reached underneath the seat again.

He felt Meeko work his hand over and was finally rewarded with a disappointing chittering. "You've probably eaten the last of them already, you little bugger," he murmured as he grasped the raccoon and pulled him to him. Meeko started to squirm, but John stopped him by telling him, "We have no time to waste. Pocahontas is waiting on us."

He ignored the guilty expression the raccoon flashed him as he reached for the bags on the other side of the canoe. Lightning flashed and thunder roared as he leaned forward again, and Meeko chattered wildly as he ran up John's body. John recovered his balance a brief second before he could fall headfirst into the canoe and finally grabbed the bags. With Meeko wrapped tightly around his head, his paws scrambling and, without meaning to, tearing, John headed back to the cave.

The extra weight and Meeko's antics on his head slowed John's progress, but finally he reached the entrance and called out, "It's only me. I have returned." He let Flit out of his pocket, but Meeko chose just that moment to jump. The momentum left John spinning, and he would have fallen had Pocahontas not caught him.

Trying desperately to shake off the dizziness, John let his love take Percy from his other arm and put him gently on the ground. He then handed her a bag. "This bag has the medical supplies, Pocahontas. We have to pull the spear out, and it's going to hurt a lot. Can you explain that to her?"

"I already have," Pocahontas spoke up from where she was kneeling beside the bear, whom she had managed to persuade to lay down while they waited for John's return. Pocahontas' concerned gaze rose from the bear to look across the cave at John, and she thanked her Gods for his safe deliverance and for their safety and permanent reunion at long last.

Pocahontas' gaze then moved to the trio of animals who were both her brothers and her babies. She spoke to them reassuringly as they cowered in the shadows, fearful of the bear. Flit came to the light but stayed well out of reach of the bear. Percy continued to cower, but Meeko pulled himself up and raised his arms in a show of his muscle. Flit glanced back at his brother, shook his teeny head, and zoomed in to peck him in the stomach. The raccoon grasped his stomach, then swatted angrily at the bird.

Pocahontas tisked in the back of her throat to them, and Meeko looked bashful even while gripping Flit tightly in one paw. Pocahontas cast a stern look upon them, and Meeko released Flit. Flit flew swiftly away, then hummed back at him from a safe distance. Meeko pretended to act innocent, but the moment Pocahontas looked back at John and the bear, he glared at Flit with a vow to get him later.

John tried not to laugh at the animals' antics as he knelt on the other side of the bear's paw and proceeded to examine it. He knew what had to be done and that it was going to hurt really badly, but he didn't have anything to deaden the pain, just something to cleanse it. "You might want to hold her other paw as I'm doing this." He touched the spear as quickly as he could and cut the head off with his sharp knife. He always kept his knife sharp enough to shave with, and he never knew when he was going to need it. The spear head came off quite easily. Now came the hard part. Gritting his teeth, he began to slowly pull the spear out.

Pocahontas was already at the bear's side, gently holding her paw in her hands, her fingers reassuringly stroking the coarse fur. She closed her eyes, and the bear's eyes followed suit. Pocahontas could feel the animal's pain as vividly as if it ripped at her own body, and her heart cried out as the bear's claws scratched her tender skin albeit without meaning to. Meeko, Percy, and Flit had calmed but were watching the scene unfolding with the bear in great fear.

When John began to pull the spear out, the bear's roar echoed with a blast of thunder that was so loud that it shook the cave. The earth trembled underneath their feet, and the three small animals turned and beat a hasty retreat further back into the cave. It was then that Pocahontas began to sing, her beautiful voice filling the cave, drowning out the roar of the storm, and easing the bear's nerves only enough that she would not give in to her instincts to attack that which hurt her regardless of her brain's and heart's knowledge that the humans were only doing this to help her.

Finally, the spear came free, and John threw it angrily against the wall of the cave. Pulling the cork from the bottle of whisky he had brought, he poured it into her paw, washing it clean. He knew it hurt terribly and hurt for her but knew it had to be done. "Tell her I've got to sew up the holes or it won't stop bleeding." He packed them as best he could, pushing the mutilated skin back in. Easing it back in, he sewed it up while Pocahontas continued to comfort the bear.

Finally, he was finished. He poured some alcohol over it again. "You need lots of rest, Miss Bear," he said aloud to the bear as he laid her paw gently back to her side. "Thank you for sharing your cave with us." He figured she could not understand a single word he was saying, but the sound of reassurance in his gentle voice might carry through to her. He wished he knew something else to help.

The bear turned her head toward the sound of the male human's voice, and her eyes opened. She looked into his eyes and rumbled softly in understanding and gratitude. Though his words were the strangest her ears had ever heard, she still understood him for she listened not with her ears but with her heart to these humans who were the first to ever help her, to ever care about her, to not fear her.

Though Pocahontas' eyes were sad, there was a smile on her face for she, too, understood the connection the bear had just made with her beloved. Her gaze moved to John as she watched for his reaction, hoping the entire while that he understood the bear just as she understood him. Though the Indian in her knew that it was not likely for any white man, even John Smith, to understand an animal, the woman in her believed in him and knew that he could.

John boldly reached out and stroked the bear's face gently before standing and beginning to try to figure out where to lay a bed. They all needed to rest. The night was going to be long. Out of his pouch, he pulled his cape and one blanket. He spread the blanket and then laid the cape on top for cover. "It will be best if we rest now. The storm may last a long time. When the light returns, I will go in search of food." He figured the bear had not eaten in several days for it seemed that she had been wounded at least that long.

Everything he had left required cooking except for some jerky. He took that out and, with his knife, cut a small piece for each. "This will have to last us till morning." He gave the bear the largest piece. He selected a piece and then gave the rest to Pocahontas. "Pass this out, beloved. Tomorrow, I'll get us some food." He wasn't sure exactly what bears ate, but he knew she'd know. They'd talk about it tomorrow. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open, and a yawn escaped his lips. He popped a piece of jerky in and chewed quietly.

Pocahontas gently corrected her love, "_We_ will go in search of food in the morrow, sweetheart." She stood and walked into the shadows. Flit came to her first, and she gave him a tiny piece. When Meeko caught sight of the food, he barreled out of hiding, but Pocahontas held the jerky to where he could not reach it without scampering up her. He ran up her body, but she moved faster than he and caught him gently in an arm. Giving Percy his piece and reassuringly scratching the little dog's head, she gave Meeko the third and finally ate the smallest piece. Still carrying Meeko, she turned back and walked back over to John.

John had seen Pocahontas take the smallest piece, and when she returned to his side, he broke off part of his own and put it in her mouth. He knew she'd have to chew that before she could talk to him again. "Every one, settle down now. Let's get some sleep," John said through a big yawn. He would not go to sleep before Pocahontas did, but he knew he was not far from it.

Pocahontas' eyes had shot as wide and round as saucers in surprise when John had unexpectedly popped the piece of jerky into her mouth. She looked sternly at him but could be no more angry with him than she could be with any of her babies. Besides, she knew that he was only doing his best to care for her and realized that he must have seen her take the smallest piece and still did not understand why she always gave her babies more food than her own self. She chewed the piece in silence, her eyes meeting his, and then knelt, opening her hands and releasing Meeko onto the blanket. Percy, who had already taken up residence on one corner of the blanket, opened an eye and growled at the raccoon, but he hushed instantly when Pocahontas gave him a warning look. She then turned back to John Smith, the man she loved, the man she'd thought she'd never be able to be with again, the man who she would do anything for, the man who loved her just as much as she did him, the man who she was meant to be with, the man who she would _finally_ be with again, from this night on to the end of their lives.

John leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. "Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams." He sat down on the blanket and pulled her down with him. Lying down on his back, he pulled her gently into his arms. He was still finding it hard to believe he had actually managed to escape not only with the love of his life but with her babies, as well, and that today was only the first day of the rest of their lives together. He looked forward to tomorrow and all the treasures it would hold. He pulled her head down to his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. He could feel himself growing extremely drowsy, but he fought to stay awake as long as she was but it was a losing battle as once she was settled into him, he went to sleep, dreaming pleasant dreams for the first time since they had been apart, pleasant dreams of his heart, his love, his dream come true.

Pocahontas curled against John's side, feeling the rightness of this position in every fiber of her being. She listened to his heart and the soft snores of the others as, one by one, they fell asleep around her. She closed her eyes as the lightning lit up the sky outside, and in the quiet of the cave, Pocahontas whispered a prayer -- a prayer of gratitude, for the bear's swift healing, and for safety for all those she loved. She listened to the most wonderful music she had ever heard and was eventually lulled to sleep by that most glorious sound -- the heartbeat of her soul mate.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The morning light did not penetrate the dark cave, but something woke John up. He slipped carefully out from under his beloved Pocahontas and walked softly over to the entrance of the cave. Looking outside, he was surprised to see how beautiful the day was. He could see the damages left by the storm, but all in all, there wasn't much to be concerned over and a lot to be thankful for. "Thank you," he spoke aloud to whatever Gods might be listening.

Then he turned and walked back to Pocahontas. He knelt before speaking, "Good morning, beautiful!" He thought that he had never seen her look so beautiful. This was the first day of the rest of their lives, and he could hardly wait to begin it with his beloved.

She had actually been awake for several minutes now, but she had held her breath and kept from opening her eyes for fear that when she did, all that had happened the previous day would vanish in the morning sun. When John spoke softly to her, however, relief flooded Pocahontas' soul and tears filled her closed eyes. She opened her eyes, batting them against the tears of joy and gratitude to the Gods that it had not been merely a dream, and gazed up into the handsome face of the man she loved with every fraction of her being. She reached up a hand and touched the face that she had memorized long ago, the smiling face whose vision had kept her alive through all the beatings and had given her strength to take what Rolfe had given her and not utter a single scream.

"John." The way his name sounded on her tongue said more than a thousand words could have. It spoke of how much she loved him, always had, and always would. It spoke of how thankful she was to be with him now. It spoke of how she was still having trouble believing that they had finally been blessed with such amazing good luck. It spoke of all this and a thousand things more, all straight from her heart, as she leaned up and gently conquered his lips with her own.

John melted into her and, before he knew it, was lying beside her, holding her close, still kissing her. Her hair rained down around him like an ebony curtain, and the scent intoxicated him even more. His hands slipped gently up and down her lithe body, caressing her gently. Their body heat melded them into one being, and all coherent thought disappeared from his mind. It was filled with one thing only -- his beloved Pocahontas! They were at last together, and they had all the time in the world just to be together and love one another!

His sweet kisses drove all thoughts from her mind and set her soul on fire. She had been without him for so long, and now her body craved his more desperately than ever before. Though he was there in her very arms, she still ached for him. Her lips kissed him with an increasingly maddening passion, and her arms pulled him closer still. Her body slid enticingly against his as her tongue dipped smoothly into his mouth to taste even more of his deliciousness. Her hands lovingly caressed every inch of him that they could find, and with each new touch and kiss, their love and desire soared even higher.

* * *

Much, much later, as John spiraled back down to Earth, holding his beloved close to his heart, he kissed her gently before rising and pulling her up with him. They were naked and unashamed. They were alone except for their family. John reluctantly let go of her to pull his pants back on. He kissed her again on the tip of her nose and gazed into her eyes before saying, "I love you so much, my darling. I could spend all day with you here, but we must be making our new home more comfortable and we must find food for all of us."

Pocahontas nodded; Meeko and Percy had began to stir even while they had been dressing. Her body still sang from their wondrous love-making, and her mind was still having trouble trying to adjust to everything that he had made her feel. She had known that it would be wonderful, but she had never dreamed that it could be so much better than the first time when they had lain in the fields of her homeland. She smiled at him from across the cave, and her eyes easily met his through the fleeting darkness. "I know you are right, my love, but I must confess that the only thing I really want to do is to be with you and feel your arms around me." Her smile grew, and her brown eyes sparkled in the rays of morning sunlight that snuck into the cave. "I love you too."

Kissing her one last time, John took her hand and gently led her from the cave. Once outside, he looked around while waiting for her to tell him what to do next. Then a thought occurred to him. "Didn't Grandmother Willow give you a twig, beloved? Did you use it or do you still have it?" If she still had it, John knew the first business of the day should be to plant the twig.

Pocahontas nodded. "I still have it." Her fingers dipped into a pocket that was sewn so closely in with her dress that it was practically invisible to any one who did not know it was there. Her fingers brushed over a cold blade before grasping the twig and pulling it out. Looking around, she wondered where would be the best place to plant it.

John smiled at the sight of the twig. "I know just where to plant it." He had already been surveying the land and recognized it as the land where he had first fallen in love with Pocahontas. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the place Grandmother Willow had been before. "Here, beloved," he said as he pulled her down to the ground. Releasing her hand, he began to scoop handfuls of dirt out of the earth to make a home for the twig who would one day become their Grandmother Willow.

* * *

The bear had been up for hours and had been trying desperately to catch a fish but had had no luck. Just as she finally scooped one up, she heard her new friends talking. With fish in mouth, she ambled over to the pair, and upon seeing what they were doing, she dropped her fish in the hole. She looked at the pair as if she were trying to tell them that it was a gift.

John waited for Pocahontas to place the twig in the hole. He stroked the bear gently on the head and told her, "Thank you." The bear seemed pleased.

Pocahontas had been silenced by awe as soon as she had realized what they were doing. She was pleasantly surprised that John had actually understood Grandmother Willow's plan before she had. They had gone a long, long way back in time, and they were to be the ones to first put Grandmother Willow in the ground. She smiled; the circle of life truly had come around to completion.

She had been about to place the twig in the hole John had made when a fish had suddenly dropped into it instead. She looked up to meet the smiling face of the bear they had shared the cave with. She smiled, reached up with a free hand, and gently stroked one side of the bear's face. "Thank you," she spoke to her in her native Indian tongue. She then returned her attention to the hole just in time to gently swat Meeko's nose for trying to sneak away with the fish. "That's not for food, Meeko," she told him sternly but with soft eyes. "That's for Grandmother Willow." She lovingly placed the twig into the hole. She then set about helping her beloved to pat the dirt back in around the twig.

Once they were done, they stood back together, hand in hand, and Pocahontas' eyes misted with unshed tears as John drew her into his strong arms and close against his chest. Their fingers entwined together as they gazed down at the place where Grandmother Willow would be born. "It's so strange," he murmured. "She gave birth to herself. If we hadn't come back, she never would have been born."

Pocahontas smiled sadly at his words. His ability to see and understand her world in ways that even her own people's men never could was only one of the million and quite possibly more reasons why she loved him. She squeezed his hand gently. "Yes," she agreed, "but she will be born and this will be a new world and a new life for us . . . " Her voice trailed off as she watched Meeko and Percy playing.

John turned his beloved in his arms, crooked a finger underneath her dark chin, and lifted her head so that he could gaze into her eyes. They were dark, swimming with emotions, and so beautiful that they took his breath, just as they always had and, he knew, always would. " . . . together," he finished her sentence for her, then pledged his eternal love for her alone with a kiss that promised her also that their new world together would be a brilliant one filled with love, laughter, and happiness. He would not only make her happy but keep her happy, John Smith swore, and they would never be parted again.

**The End**


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